Shipping container for handling goods



Nov. 2, 1937. R. E. FORD SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR HANDLING GOODS g Filed Jan. 18, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I VENTOR ROBERT E. FORD Edit/61 M M ATTO RNEYS Nov. 2, 1937. R. E. FORD SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR HANDLING GOODS Filed Jan. 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 D 0 To E N W W -b4 0 mm w M M 8 3 6 I In 8 ,7 H7 ,V/6 I 5 I. 7 w ,5 \I k 4 IO Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Robert a. Ford, Minneapolis,

Luther Ford & Company, Minneapolis,

Minn, asslgnor to Minn,

a co-partnership composed of Allyn K. Ford and Robert E. Ford Application January 18, 1935, Serial No. 2,860

30laims.

My invention relates to a shipping container for handling goods, and has for its object to provide a container wherein a given maximum number of articles may be shipped, such as canned goods or bottled goods, as, for example,

liquid bluing in bottles, and which may be subdivided into smaller containers carrying a smaller number of said articles.

Manufacturers generally provide a standard container for shipping their goods in established quantities such as lots of two dozen, three dozen or the like. Such goods are sent to the wholesalers or distributors and by them sold to the retailer in unbroken packages. It sometimes happens that small retailers do not care to put in a full-sized container because their trade does not move the goods rapidly enough to justify purchasing the quantity of goods put up in such full-sized container. In such cases in the past it has been customary for distributors to break cases and repack the smaller number of such goods in a separate container. This involves inconvenience, additional expense and danger of breakage and loss.

It is a particular object of my invention to remedy the above-stated disadvantages by providing an original container so formed that it may conveniently be separated into two or more independent containers each complete and in condition for shipping with a smaller number of articles contained therein. As, for example, in those instances where it is customary to send out cases of two dozen articles, such case can be separated into two distinct cases each containing a dozen of the articles.

It is a further object of my invention to pro-. vide such cartons with double partitions across them, either across the longer or Shorter dimension of the original casing, the double partition being glued to top and bottom walls and to side walls, with appropriate marking on the outside so that by the use of a knife or other severing instrument the case can be out between the two sets of walls and thus will be divided into two or more independent containers eachcomplete in itself and ea :h ready for immediate shipment.

In carrying out my invention the cases are preferablyformed, as is customary, o1 pliable cardboard, which may be either of the internal corrugated variety or homogeneous throughout. I do. not, however, limit my invention to the use of cardboard, but any substance adaptable for making shipping cases which can readily be cut is avaflable for use and is within the scope of my invention.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description given herein, and its novel features are particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating forms oi. application oi my invention,

Fig. 1 gives a general view of a casing embodying my invention which is adapted to be cut into two independent casings. Fig. 2 illustrates said two casings resulting from the severing of the complete casing by cutting, as indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 illustrates a form or the device embodying a casing adapted to be cut into three independent casings. Fig. 4 shows said casings after separation. Fig. 5 shows a casing formed to be cut through the longer dimension to divide it into two long and narrow casings. Fig. 6 shows this casing after division. Fig. 'I is a plan view of a preferred form of casing adapted to be separated into two independent casings with the top flaps lifted, showing the manner in which the double partition walls are introduced in the casing. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view oi what is shown in Fig. 'l with the top flaps in closing position. Fig. 9 is a transverse section on the line 99 of Fig. 8.

Referring to Fig. l, a container [0 is formed as shown in detail in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. The outer portion comprises top panels II and I2 carrying label matter. on either side of the meeting point I3 of the top flaps. Similarly, the sides of the container have label portions l4 and IS on either side of a blank portion which may be marked by an arrowed line It. Arrows l1 and [8 may, if desired, be formed on the line l3 which marks the dividing point. Cutting the outer casing along the lines I3, It as indicated by the arrows produces a pair of independent containers i9, 20 each embodying a labeled top portion ll, I2 and labeled side portions II and ill with new ends 2| .and 22 formed by the container partitions hereinafter described, which may be labeled if desired.

Referring to Fig. 3, a container 23 is provided with top label portions 24, 25 and 26 and side label portions 21, 28 and 29 each separated by blank spaces on the top or sides respectively. In these blank spaces sets of arrows 30, 3| and 32, 33 respectively indicatedividing lines for separating the container into three independent containers. As shown in Fig. 13, openings through the top flaps of anyone of the forms indicated at 34, 35, 36, and 31 may be employed for admitting the knife into the space between the double partitions for severing purposes. 0n Fig. 3 the form of aperture designated 36 is employed.

As shown in Fig. 4 the unitary casing of Fig. 3 has been divided into three independent casings II, 39, and 40, each provided with new faces ll, 42, and 43 which may carry label material or not as desired. It will be noted that the independent casing 39 will have two new faces 42.

v As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a casing 44 similar to casing Ill of Fig. 1 is formed in accordance with the construction shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9 so as to be divided the long way of the container rather than the short way. In this form top portions 45 and 48 are adapted to carry labeling material on either side of the longitudinally-extended dividing line 41 between the side flaps. The side ll of the casing is unbroken but panels I! and I, adapted to carry separated label material, appear on the end walls of casing 44 and sets of arrows 5i and 52 indicate the line of severance into two independent casings. These are shown in Fig. 6 where the independent casings II and 54 each has a new side wall 55 formed of one of the double partitions of Figs. 7, 8, and 9. It will of course be clear that it is within the scope of my invention to provide a shipping casing which is adapted to be divided into a greater number of independent casings than two or three as above outlined, the principle of the invention applicable to such greater number of divisions being the same as here described.

Referring to Figs. 7, 8, and 9, a shipping con-' tainer of ordinary construction is formed by gluing together at its bottom, as indicated at 56, side wall flaps 51 and end wall flaps 58 of the container blank to form its bottom. When fully assembled this construction provides end walls 59, 60 carrying end closure flaps GI, 62 for the top, and side walls 68, 64 carrying side closure flaps 65, 66, also for the top, the assemblage in practice being held together by a strip of tape glued over one corner not shown. As ordinarily constructed a single corrugated liner strip is applied to the inside of these walls.

As best shown in Figs. 7 and 8, I provide double partition members 61 and 68 meeting in a plane across the center of the container as indicated at 69. These partition members are provided with bottom flaps Ill, H which are glued as indicated at 12 to the end wall flaps 58 heretofore referred to.

A pair of liner members 12 and. 13, formed of corrugated board, may be set, if desired, in position on either side of the double partition wall 61, 68 as shown in Fig. 8, and by dotted line in Fig. 7, so as to enclose spaces I4 and 15. Within these spaces inside these liner members the articles to be shipped are packed. Usually, in practice there will be a dozen such articles in each of the container spaces 14 and 15, although a greater or less number may be provided for. The partition members 61, 68 carry top flaps l6 and TI, respectively, which are turned over the contents within the container spaces 14 and 15 as shown in Figs. '7 and 8. These flaps are shown extending less than the whole distance from the partition members 61, 68 to the end walls 59, 60, and it is within the scope of my invention for them to go the whole distance or any part of the distance so long as sufficient area is exposed for gluing. The side flaps 65 and 66 are turned down over the top flaps l6, l1 and are glued thereto, as idicated at 18. The end flaps BI, 62 are then laid over and glued to the side flaps 65, 66 in the position indicated in Fig. 1.

To get the construction of Figs. 5 and 6, it is only necessary to-reverse the podtion oi the dividing partitions to extend the long way of the container and glue down the end flaps ii, 02 first and then the side flaps. which will provide a device adapted to be divided longitudinally. Where the term gluing is used I include all well-' known forms of securing for such containers, such as stitching.

The advantages of my invention will clearly appear from the foregoing description. By its employment the original shipping containers will carry the maximum number of articles which normally are handled in an original container from a distributing center. 'Ihis complete case, containing such maximum number of articles, may be shipped entire to dealers, and in practice most often will be so shipped. However, in those instances where dealers desire a smaller number of articles than the maximum number in the standard container, the distributing center may supply such smaller number without expense of packaging or danger of loss or breakage by simply severing oil one of the divisible sections of the main shipping container and shipping such section containing the desired smaller number of articles direct and unchanged to the dealer desiring that number. This arrangement and, the method of employing it will greatly facilitate the carrying on of business by both the manufacturer and the distributing center, will be a matter of marked convenience for the dealer and will save expense in many ways.

I claim:

1. A shipping container adapted to be separated into a pair of independent containers, comprising a main casing adapted to hold a maximum number of articles to be shipped, a pair of partitions adjacent one another in said casing with contacting plane-surfaced walls and having integral extensions glued to the bottom of the main casing, and having right-angled at their tops, flaps on two opposite sida of the main casing adapted to be folded over and upon said latter extensions and glued thereto, flaps on the other two sides of the main casing glued to the top of said first-named flaps, the closely adjacent edges of said last-named flaps coming in the separation plane of said partitions, whereby the walls of the casing may be severed in said separation plane to produce two independent containers each embodying plane-surfaced walls on all sides and being in condition for shipping without wrapping or other protective addition.

2. A shipping container adapted to be separated into a plurality of independent containers, comprising a main casing adapted to hold a maximum number of articles to be shipped, a double partition in said casing with contacting plane-surfaced walls having integral right-angled extensions glued to the bottom of the main casing and having corresponding right-angled extensions in opposite directions from the separation plane of said partitions at the top, end flaps on the main casing folded into the plane of said top extensions, and side flaps overlying all said top flaps and glued to all of them, whereby the walls of the main casing may be severed in said separation plane to produce a plurality of independent containers each embodying plane-surfaced walls on all sides and being in condition for shipping without wrapping or other protective addition.

3. A shipping container adapted to be separated into a plurality of independent containers, comprising a main casing adapted tohold a maximum number of articles to be shipped, a double partition in said casing with contacting plane-surfaced outside of the main casing marking the separawalls having integral right-angled extensions tion plane of said partitions, whereby the walls glued to the bottom of the main casing and havoi the main casing may be severed in said separaing corresponding right-angled extensions in op- 'tion plane to produce a plurality of independent posite directions from the separation plane of containers each embodying plane-surfaced walls 5 said partitions at the top, end flaps on the main on all sides and being in condition for shipping casing folded into the plane of said top extenwithout wrapping or other protective addition. sions, and side flaps overlying all said top flaps and glued to all of them, and indications on the ROBERT E. FORD. 

